The present invention relates to a carriage having wheels and a handle and an aperture for engaging and retaining a grass or weed cutting device of the type utilizing a cable rotated by a motor output to cut grass, weeds or the like close to objects that cannot be cut by the conventional power or hand mower.
For some years now, trimming devices in the form of rapidly rotated cables of nylon or the like have been employed to manicure lawns and cut weeds around objects that cannot be cut by a conventional lawnmower due to the inability of the mower to closely approach such objects as fences, trees, walls or the like. Such cable trimming devices have been very popular since they have eliminated the task of operating hand clippers to trim the edges of lawns around objects such as those enumerated above.
However, in a number of circumstances, the weight of such devices has proved to be an impediment to their use and the fact that the devices have been designed to be hand held has also limited their application to a number of trimming jobs such as under large trees and bushes having extensive overhanging foliage, or under fixedly mounted lawn furniture. For long periods of operating time, the devices can be a considerable burden to handle due to their weight and due to the fact that care must be taken to maintain the electric cord in a safe position. Also, where the devices are gas operated, the weight of the motor and fuel can be a critical factor contributing to early fatigue for the user. Thus, where trimming devices of either the electrical or combustion engine driven type have been employed for working on estates, public parks or the like, worker fatigue will be a significant problem which will inevitably reduce efficiency. Additionally, use of these hand held trimmers on certain landscapes can be dangerous, such as, where the terrain is very steep providing difficulty for the operator to maintain a balanced foothold.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing disadvantages by providing a wheeled carriage for the electrical or gas driven trimming devices such that the trimming device can be easily mounted and dismounted from the carriage. The present invention provides for the trimming device to be securely held on the carriage with the advantage that the working period is significantly increased due to a lessening of worker fatigue. Use of the carriage of the present invention will enable an operator to cut grass and weeds in locations that have previously been inaccessible for hand held operation, such as, under trees with low hanging boughs, porches, lawn furniture or the like. Additionally, the carriage of the present invention can be provided with a telescoping handle so that an operator will be able to cut or trim edge sections located on steep banks while being able to stand at a distance from the cutting site.
The carriage of the present invention is designed for cooperation with electrically driven or gas driven trimming devices of the type where a section of cord extends from a motor output and which is rotated at high speeds about a central axis of the motor. Conventionally, such devices have a skirt portion extending from the motor housing with the motor located above the skirt portion and the cutting cord located below the skirt.
Previous carriages have been proposed, such as those disclosed in our copending U.S. application Ser. No. 119,176, filed Feb. 6, 1980, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,709, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. However, the carriage of the present invention contemplates an improved coupling apparatus for securely, yet removably coupling the grass trimming device thereto. As will be explained in more detail below, the carriage of the present invention is designed so that the trimming device can be coupled and uncoupled with a turning movement. In such a manner, the trimming device can be easily removed when the operator desires to hand carry the device for trimming extremely difficult to reach locations, e.g. in a corner, along a wall or the like. Subsequently, the operator can easily couple the trimming device to the carriage of the present invention and resume normal trimming operations.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as consideration is given to the accompanying detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.